Salutation & Greeting

A person gets up in morning. Before leaving his or her bed he or she prays to God and wishes that his or her day may pass successfully and peacefully. Before leaving his or her bed he or she expresses gratitude towards God. He or she bows with respect to elderly persons in family with words- pranam, namami, namste, and namaskar etc. In response to salutation elderly persons express good wishes and blessings in form of – long live and be happy etc.

Salutations have various feelings. In olden time when there was no certainty of nature of weather and life was very difficult so people would express salutation and greetings in form of good morning, good noon, good after noon, good evening and good night. When a person used to meet any other person first time then he or she would say good morning irrespective of time. In response the other person used to repeat the same words. When a person departed for long time then he or she would say good bye. Good night was expressed for departing for night.

Patriotic persons say, Jai Hind and Jai Bharat. Salutation are exchanged in name of persons such as Mahapurshaynamh, Brahamaynamh,and Gurve Namh etc.

Salutation is done in different ways in different cultures such as folding hands and bowing, hand shaking, hugging, touching head and kissing etc.

Greetings are expressed on birthday, marriage day, and anniversary of any other memorable days by expression of words and gifts. Blessings are expressed for success in examination and any other remarkable ventures and events and even for the whole life.

Greetings and blessings are good things because they are passionate and respectful expressions. They give pleasure and happiness in life. They can do unbelievable wonderful things that ordinarily we can’t imagine.

A mythological story goes. Rish Markand had a son who was granted life span of only for 9 yrs. Markand wanted longer life of his son. He thought over and conclude that blessings of elders and capable persons can extend life span so he said to his son Markandeya , “Bow with respect before elderly persons and greet them.” Makandeya followed the instruction of greetings of elderly persons. In exchange elderly persons gave him blessings of long life. Once Sapata Rishis were passing through the place where Markandeya was standing. Markandeya bowed with respected and greeted them. Rishis gave him blessings of long life. Markand told to Rishis that the boy whom they have given blessings of long life is his son Markandeya who has a short life span of 9 years only. Rishis said, “Our blessings never fail so this boy will have long life span.” Sapta Rishis took Markandeya with them to Brahma- the God of giving life and life span and said, ”This boy Markandey is son of Rishi Markand and he has life span of only 9 years. We gave him blessings of long life. Our blessings never fail.” Brahama said, “The life and life span once determined is never changeable. This is also fact that your blessings never fail so I give Markandeya my own life span.”

With the boon of Brahama Markandeya became chiranjeevi- person with long life span.

This is example of result or consequence of greetings and blessings. Cultivate and develop the habit of greetings and blessings.